Improvement in pill-making machines



c. B. LITTLEKFIELD.

Pi'JH-Makingmacnines.

No. 137,008, k Patentedmarchmns.

Wiz/@gaga AM. PHora-urfmsHAPHlcca Mdmimvsfs Pennsss) NITED STATEsCHAUNCEY B. LITIIEFIELD, OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

IMPROVEMENT IN- PILL-MAKING MACHINES.

- Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,008, dated March18, 1873.

To all vwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAUNGEY B. LITTLE- EIELD, of Manchester, in thecounty of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented certainImprovements in Devices for Rolling and Cutting Pills, of which thefollowing is a specilication:

My device consists simply of a small flat board provided with aspring-plate armed with a series of cutters, so that the pill mass mayIbe rolled out into a strip under the board and then'separated intopieces of the proper size by depressing the cutters.

Figure 1 is a perspective view -of my device; Fig. 2, a side or edgeview ofthe same; and Fig. 3,`an end view of the same with the cuttersdepressed.

In constructing the device I provide a small iiat board, A, and securelengthwise on its upper side a strip or bar, a, to form a handle bywhich to hold and manipulate the device. I then secure across the board,on its upper side, a bar or cleat, b, which projects over one end, asshown in Figs. l and 2, and provide the cleat, in its outer edge, with aseries of transverse vertical slits, c, at equal distances apart. lthen, finally, provide a spring-plate, B, having one end armed 'with aseries of vertical teeth 0r cutters, c, and, inserting its cutters inthe slits c, secure its opposite end to the handle o of the board, asshown in Figs. l and 2. The plate is so curved that it holds the teethup with their edges above the under face of the cleat b, as shown inFig. 2; but by depressing the end ofthe plate with the finger thecutters may be forced down until their edges are in line with the underface of the board, as shown in Fig. 3.

In using the device it is grasped in one hand, l

as in Fig. l, and worked back and forth upon the pill mass until themass is rolled out under it to a strip of the proper size, as shown inFig. 2. It is then placed on the table or slab by the side of the stripand pushed forward until the strips rests against its end under thecleat b, as shown in Fig. l, and then the plate B depressed and thecutters forced down so as to divide the strip into pieces of equal size,as shown in Fig. 3. The plate, being thenreleased, raises the cutters,while the cleat b strips the pieces off therefrom so that they remainupon -the table. The pieces are then rounded and formed into pills byrolling them under the board or between the lingers.

The device is extremely simple, cheap, and durable, and it enables theoperator to produce pills with great rapidity and of a uniform size, andhence it will be found of great service to the dispensing pharmacist andto others making pills in small quantities.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- The pill roller andcutter, consisting of the board or body A, provided with `thespringplate B, having the series of knives or cutters e, whenconstructed substantially as described.

GHAUNCEY B. LITTLEFIELD. Witnesses:

GEORGE W. MORRISON, W. H. GATE.

